Improvement in retorts for distilling coal-oil



HAZLETT L HOBBS.

` Retort.'

Patented May 31, 1859.

No, 24,211.l

WI/Zn 66.566'

y ducts.

UME ASTATES PATENT ERICE.J

ROBERT W; IIAZIJETT AND JOHN II. HOBRs, OE' WHEELING, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT I'N- RETORTS FOR DISTILL'ING COAL-OIL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,2il, dated yMay 31,1859.

l T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT W. HAZLETT and JOHN H. HOBBS, of Wheeling,in the county of Ohio and State of Virginia, have invented a certain newand useful Improvenient in Retorts for Distilling Purposes; and we dohereby declare that theV following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1represents a side View of a retort constructed according to ourimprovement;

Fig. 2, a transverse vertical sectionl thereof, and Fig. 3 alongitudinal vertical section with the head of the retort removed.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several iigures indicatecorresponding parts.

The retort here referred to we would have regarded as applicable todistilling purposes generally-that is, we do not (as there is no suchnecessity) confineit to any one article of distillation-though we wouldparticularize as one of its uses the destructive distillation of coalfor the', production of coal-oil and for refining the same. The retort,however, is applicable to the distillation of all or most distillablebodies or matter, rwhether solid or iiuid, and may be used for themanufacture of gas, spirits, and various other distilled pro- The objectaimed at in our improvement is to facilitate and expedite the obtainingor carrying over of the charge7 with the least deleterious effect uponthe substance to be distilled and upon the wear of the retort; and thenature of our invention consists in certain peculiarities ofconstruction and mode of action, as fully set forth in the followingdescription and claims.

The retort we construct, as shown in the drawings, horizontal and invwhat may be termed, though joined, in two distinct parts or of twodistinct configurations-that is, the base A of the body of the retortmay be of rectangular shape for iiat or advantageous exposure to theaction of the iire, while the upper portion or sides, B B, are madeshelving from their junction with the base portion A toward each other,and meet in an angle at or along the top, which latter is set incliningdownward toward the neck C of the retort.

Of course varying circumstances -such as change in the 'size of theretort or change of product to be distilled-may require some deviationfrom this as the contour of the retort; but such is the conguration orconstruction, as a whole,thatit is preferable to preserve.

To facilitate a clear understanding we shall in further descriptionrefer more particularly to the manufacture of coal-oil.

Betorts, it is well known, have .been variously shaped; but those in'common use for the destructive distillation of coal to make `Coal-oilare of cylindrical form, which does not present an advantageous bottomsurface to the action of the lire. These cylindrical retorts are usuallyembedded i-n the re, as well for the production of the necessary heat onthe substance being distilled as to prevent condensation of thedistilled matter withinthc retort. Such large amount of. fire exposuresoon destroys the exterior of the retort, and the carbonaceous matter inits interior effects a .similar destruction, so that the retort requiressoon to be replaced by a new one-say after seven or eight months of Wearin eachv case. The form shown in the annexed drawings does away withsuch rapid destruction of the retort, as the base portion, A, only iseX- posed to the re, the upper portion or inclin- -ing sides, B B, beingexposed tothe air to produce condensation instead of avoiding it, as inthe former instance, and said lower or base portion, A, is protectedfrom destruction by carbonaceous matter or clinker inside by the chargebeing contained in a drawer or pan, D, so arranged as to leave anair-space, ct, between the charge or charger and bottom portion of theretort. By the employment, also, of the drawer D, destructive Wearconsequent on raking out the residuum from the bottom of the retort isavoided. A retortthus constructed and provided, as here and here inafterspecied,f1nay, for the same amount and character of work as inthe formerinstance, be made to last from two to three years.

It has before been stated that the top of our retort is set orconstructed inclining downward toward the neck C. This is to facilitateescape of condensed matter into the neck, andthe inclinedsidesBB,meeting in an angle at or along the top, serve :most effectuallyto conduct the 2 QILQII condensed fluid into openconduits or gutters bb, arranged along each side of the retort on the inside and running fromthe head of the retort to the neck, with a dip or inclination throughouttheir length toward the neck, and terminating in .the neck C. By thesemeans 'the condensed fluid is hastened off to the neck, and timeconsumed in its redistillation saved by its return to the surface underexposure to the fire being so effectually prevented.

In the use of the common cylindrical retort for making coal-oil,ordinarily but two charges are made in twenty-four hours. One hour isoccupied in charging, the residuum is taken out by a handrake, and thecoal introduced by a shovel. The temperature, too, has to be carefullyguarded,"or the bottom of the furnace becomes unduly heated aud`bur'nsand chars the coal under distillation, which pro.- duces an inferiorcoal-oil that can never be eftectually purified. The heated air-space c,intervening between the charge and bottom of the retort in the retortshown in the accompanying drawings, dispenses with all suchparticularity and careful Watching in the manipulation, and, though anundue or excessive heat may be applied, no charring or burning of thecoal under distillation takes place; consequently a generally betterquality of oil is produced. We however derive a double advantage byelevating the charger D a little above the floor of the retort, as sucharrangement not only serves to establish the heated air-space c at t-hebottom, but it facilitates the sliding in andout of the drawer D onantifriction appliances interposed between the bottom of the drawer andfloor of the retort, such as rails c c on the Tloor of the retort,rollers or their equivalents, and whereby much labor and time are savedin removing the residuum and entering a 'fresh charge.

By using two chargers or drawers D to each retort only five minutes needbe occupied in charging. rlhus, the man-head of the retort beingremoved, the pan, with the residuuni, is taken out and a second pancontaining the necessary charge inserted, and while distillation againgoes on the original pan, with the residuum, may be cleared and loadedwith a fresh charge, for reinsertion in its turn. Of course much laboris economized in both clearing and filling an open pan as compared witha close retort, and to further facilitate cleaning the pans may beprovided with a lid or door in their bottom, or withone or more of theirsides made to open. As compared to the ordinary retort, at least doublethe number of charges may be carried over77 in the same period of time,and the consumption of' fuel be proportionally reduced.

We would observe, in conclusion, that the lower part of the upperportion :of the' retortl is provided with inclined iiangess s, arrangedimmediately above the drawer Iband running from, end to end ot' theretort, `to return any vapor which might condense before it reaches thefirst of the conduits b b back to the pan D. The importance of thisprovision-will be seen in the application of the improvement to thedistillation of liquids.

Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent,is-

l. Constructing the horizontal retort with a pan or 1iat-shaped base, A,and inclined upper sides or top, B B, and with open conduits or guttersb b, running from end to end of the retort, and arranged on the innersides thereof', and set inclining and emptying into the neck of theretort, the Whole for united operation, substantially as and for thepurpose herein set forth.

2. The drawer or charger D, when open at top and in no Way or at'anytime attached as a fixture to the retort, and yet serving during thedistilling process as a part of the generating-chamber, and being keptelevated above the bottom ofthe generating-chamber and allowed 4to slide in and out without the necessity of removing or disconnecting anyportions of the retort or generator, substantially vas and for thepurpose herein set forth.

ROBERT W. HAZLET-T. JOHN H. HOBBS.

Witnesses:

ALBERT HALL, HENRY ScHUL'rZ.

